Elena Souza
Real Name: Elena Souza Aliases: ''' Yessica Crystal Mendez '''Wanted For: Fraud Missing Since: 1996 Case Details: In March of 1996, in Modesto, California, Gregorio Scoto and his wife, Eduarda, both originally from Portugal, were hoping to find a cure for the painful migraines Eduarda suffered daily. Modern medicine had not helped at all. In desperation, the Scotos turned to Elena Souza, a woman they had heard about in a radio ad. She spoke Portuguese and claimed to be a faith healer. But according to police, Elena Souza is, in reality, a masterful magician and con artist without peer. Elena Souza diagnosed the cause of Eduarda's headaches very quickly. She said that the Scotos had been cursed by someone who was jealous of them. She claimed that to lift the curse, she needed $300. The Scotos went to the bank and brought Souza the money. Eduarda claimed that by the next day, her headaches had disappeared. However, Souza told them that the curse remained. The couple brought her several items that she had requested, including a coconut. She wrapped the coconut in a cloth and hit it with a hammer. When she opened it, she magically produced two metal rings and two crosses. According to Souza, this meant that the Scotos' daughter would never marry and their son would soon die. The Scotos were obviously upset and could not understand why they had been cursed. The next day, the ritual took on a truly bizarre turn. Souza "blessed" the Scotos with a chicken, chanting prayers and swooping the bird over their heads. Moments later, without any apparent cause, the chicken fell dead. She asked them to cut the chicken with a knife, but they refused. When she did it, the chicken did not bleed. After that, Souza put a piece of paper in a bowl and told the Scotos to touch it. When she poured water over their hands, writing and a number mysteriously appeared. The note said that in order to lift the curse, she would have to cleanse the Scoto's money: $15,000 for each family member. The grand total was $90,000. When the Scotos said they didn't have that kind of money, Souza assured them that they would get it, even promising to lend it to them if necessary. She also assured them that nothing would happen to the money and that they would take it with them. The couple's son, Eddie, voiced his concerns, but the Scotos were completely under Souza's spell. They believed it was a matter of life and death. When they brought the cash to Souza, their children came with them. Souza promised the money would never leave the Scoto's possession. She wrapped the cash in Gregorio's shirt and told them to take it home overnight. The next day, the Scotos took the money back to Souza. She had them place the bills in a cloth bag and then sewed it shut, while beginning another prayer. As she prayed, she walked behind the couple, tapping them on the back with the bag. The Scotos then watched as Souza put the bag in a metal box, locked it, then put a chain around it and padlocked that. She promised she would unlock the box in two days. At that time, the money would be clean and the curse would be gone. She instructed the Scotos to take the box home and place it in their closet. But two days later, Souza was nowhere to be found. The Scotos, fearing the worst, called police. When the police opened the box there was an identical bag to the one that had the money in it. But inside it was filled with several $1 bills which wrapped stacks of newspaper. The Scotos' money was gone. The family was devastated at what happened. They could not believe that they put their trust with a con artist. Police believe that Souza's operation is very sophisticated and well-planned. She apparently knew "slight-of-hand" techniques that are taught in Vegas and Hollywood. Souza has been charged with grand theft. According to police, she did not work alone. One alleged accomplice, a man named Jose, apparently rented the apartment and placed ads offering Souza's services. A young woman called Maria reportedly helped prepare the sleight of hand tricks and allegedly was a crucial part of the money bag switch. Souza speaks Portuguese with a Brazilian accent. She is most likely operating in a Latino community. Extra Notes: The case was featured as a part of the January 3, 1997 episode. Other phony healers and fortune tellers profiled on Unsolved Mysteries include Jorge Cortez, Gary Magno, and Ann Corecelli. Results: Wanted Links: * Yessica Mendez on Unsolved Archive ---- Category:California Category:1996 Category:Fraud Category:Wanted Category:Medical-Related Cases